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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets may sit last overall in the NHL standings but they are hotter than the sinking Vancouver Canucks, the team they will entertain today at Nationwide Arena (4 p.m., Sportsnet Pacific, Team 1040).

The Jackets haven't lost in regulation in their last four games (2-0-2) while the Canucks have three regulation defeats and a shootout loss in their last five (1-3-1). The Blue Jackets are better on the penalty kill - seventh to the Canucks 19th - and better in the faceoff circle - 16th to the Canucks 22nd. Nevertheless, Jackets coach Todd Richards is fearful of what his skaters will face today.

"I think they're one of the elite teams in the league," Richards said following CBJ's morning skate. "Numbers-wise, standings-wise, to me it doesn't matter. I look at their history, what they've been able to do over the past 4-5 years, the personnel they have and the coaching they have. There is a lot of consistency in how they play and the things that they do. That's the reason why I consider them one of the elite teams."

Richards is a big fan of Daniel and Henrik Sedin and wonders if his defence will be up for the challenge.

"The uniqueness with the Sedins, the chemistry they have, their ability to make plays in the offensive zone when you think there are no plays to be made, they find ways to make plays and create," Richards said. "Our young defencemen, who have played really good hockey for us, this is going to pose something different for them, I think."

The Canucks, who have won just five of 14 games outside the Northwest Division (5-5-4), are expecting to have their hands full with the Jackets, especially since their own power play hasn't scored in six full games.

"I've watched five of their last six games and they come to play," head coach Alain Vigneault said of the Jackets. "They play a high percentage game, they work extremely hard, they finish all their checks and they're a team that, right now, doesn't seem to be turning the puck over very many times. So it's going to be another very tough game in a very tough conference."

The goaltending matchup will feature Cory Schneider (6-4-2) versus Sergei Bobrovsky (5-6-3). One player to watch on the Jackets is Port Moody's Ryan Johansen, who will centre a line with R.J. Umberger and Nick Foligno. Johansen, 20, was the fourth overall pick in the 2010 entry draft.

He played during the lockout for the American League's Springfield Falcons and was sent back down for two weeks in February. Consistency was the issue, he explained. Johansen has one goal, four points and is a ghastly minus-10 in 15 games this season.

"I wasn't doing what I needed to do to stay in this league, I guess," he said. "So it was kind of a wakeup call, you could say, for me going down knowing I needed to bring it every night. Since I've been back up, I've been playing better and more consistently and I just have to keep that up."

The Canucks will have one lineup change as Andrew Alberts returns on defence to replace the injured Keith Ballard (charley horse). Ballard is on the trip but did not skate today. Kevin Bieksa (groin) went for a twirl at the conclusion of the Canucks skate.

ICE CHIPS: Referees for tonight's game are Steve Kozari and Justin St. Pierre... Vinny Prospal leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 14 points... Columbus is 1-5-1 when scoring first. The Canucks are 8-2-4... The Jackets are 2-3-1 versus the Northwest Division while the Canucks are 2-1-2 against Central Division teams.

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